


Somebody Else

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Future Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 10:50:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9231593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A fic mostly inspired by the song Somebody Else by the 1975. Shirabu and Tendou break up after two years together and Shirabu feels the burden of moving on weigh heavy in his heart.





	

Soft syllables left chapped lips, the familiarity soaked into his skin, soothing nervous breathing as digits dug themselves into soft red tresses. The blond let out a sound, soft and needy, his grip tightening its hold of scarlet strands. Upon pulling apart, their lips were equally red, the blond's nearing bruised, and for a moment their foreheads rested against one another, sharing quick breaths. As chestnut met mahogany, there was a quiet noise, more distressed now, before the blond's hands moved in order to allow him to wrap arms around the red head's shoulders to let out a sob. He didn't want to admit that he was graduating, he didn't want to let go of him. The year difference between them was practically strangling him on the spot.

“Tendou... S-Satori... I don't... I don't want you to go.” He could hear how pathetic he sounded, his voice giving quiet hiccups as he sniffled and hid his face in the graduate's hooded sweater. The red head released the quietest laugh, though the pain was evident in the noise, hard to hide as his own eyes were tearing up.

“Kenjirou... C'mon, stop, tears aren't suiting for you at all, y'know?” Lifting the blond's head up with a hand, the other reached down to tuck his bangs behind his ear the slightest bit. “We're always together, as long as our souls are linked, did you know that?” A soft smile is stretched across the red head's face as he let go of the blond's face to reach into his hooded sweater's pockets. Pulling something out, though keeping it in his fist so it was a surprise, he held mahogany hues on the blond's chestnut to make sure he had his attention. “I'll come to your games, and you'll be an incredible captain, I'm positive of that.” Reaching for one of the blond's hands with his free hand, he pulled the younger's hand up to push the mystery item into his palm before closing the setter's digits around the item. Shirabu's eyes welled up with more tears as he recognized what the item was.

“ _Satori_...” He nearly punched him in the shoulder for the cheesy offering, but instead reached up to steal another heated kiss, one hand gripping at fiery tresses while the other gripped the button tight. He would cherish it for as long as they were together. He hoped that would be forever, it felt like it would never end.

Though, as all sweet summers come to an end, so did the love they shared. It took some time for the flame to die, but they could feel it as it weakened. Tendou had moved away to Tokyo in the middle of Shirabu's school year when he found a place to room with one of the other third years. He gave the blond frequent texts starting out, but eventually their communication died out before Shirabu finally asked the question that had been lingering in the stale air of the night he'd realized it was over.

“Do you still love me?” The words stung, they bit at his lips as he spoke them aloud on call with the red head, and he could hear the pained hiss that left Tendou's lips as he thought about it. Well, pretended to think about it, as he was sure even Tendou knew their relationship was over. It had dwindled to nothing but a soft cloud of smoke rising from what once was a burning ember strong enough to melt both of their hearts.

“...no, Kenjirou, I... I think it may be better we moved on, yeah?” His voice rang with pain for having prolonged this relationship as if it would give rise to something like a miracle, but they both knew that wasn't about to happen. Shirabu's hands shook as he tried to come up with the words he wanted to escape his brain. Why did it feel like a slap to his face to hear Tendou confirm what they'd both suspected this entire time? “Kenjirou? Are you still there--”

“Don't call me Kenjirou anymore! Just... It's done, Tendou.” His voice had cracked midway, and he knew it well, hanging up before Tendou could make any comments on it. He heard his phone buzz with a few texts from the same red head, but instead he was looking at the button he still had laying on his desk in the dorm room. Scowling more as tears threatened to spill, he walked over and opened a window, tossing the button out. For some reason, it only served to cause him further pain, and he shut the window before curling up in bed, trying to silence the sobs wracking his body.

A few months later, Shiratorizawa not only participated in nationals, but were being considered highly likely to win the nationals that year. Shirabu was a stern, but strategic captain. His skills shined through in each match his team played, and he was more than beyond satisfied to hear that Washijou thought him a good example of what captains should be. Nationals were being held in Tokyo once more that year, and Shirabu's stomach almost dropped when he watched as he watched the sign stating “Tokyo City Limit” pass by them. Tendou was here. This is the same Tokyo that Tendou was attending university with one of their other fellow third years who had been on the team. There was only one city of Tokyo, but he still felt as if he hoped hard enough, then maybe Tendou's existence wouldn't be agitating him in that moment.

Once they were all settled in their hotel arrangements, he received a couple texts that caught him off guard. Reading the name of the sender, his blood ran cold. _Tendou Satori_. Something told him to ignore the texts, but he gave in to vicious, human curiosity, opening up the conversation to see one message and an image. It was a picture of Tendou, Semi, and Ushijima. Were they all living in Tokyo? Upon reading the text sent before the photo, he found that they were all coming to see the game, it seemed. This unsettled him a bit, but he recomposed himself-- Ushijima and Semi would be there. Surely they'd keep Tendou in check in order to not make his matches at nationals difficult.

Sure enough, the other two graduates had kept the red head fairly in check when they all met up to watch the games. Shiratorizawa had not won, losing to a much more formidable rival later in the match ups, but it didn't sting as much as the loss to Karasuno the year prior. Speaking with Washijou, he found out that they would be there one last night to recuperate before they headed back to the school, so he asked if he could spend that time with the graduated third years. Washijou was not opposed to the request, and nodded, with the exception that Shirabu returned at a reasonable time.

When he left to go and meet up with them, Tendou was the first to shout “Shirabu!” before running over, but he was met with the icy glare Shirabu had grown accustomed to. The red head pouted, but he was well aware it was a bit deserved. A two year relationship that dwindled into nothing all because of distance... He was guilty of it and he knew it well, so he settled with pouting and then grinning as he looked to Semi and Ushijima. “Aren't you guys proud of our little second year regular? Captain _and_ attended the nationals! He's just as good as you said he'd be, Wakkun~” The brunette nodded, though he looked stiff, particularly in the shoulders.

“You have done something incredible, Shirabu.” Giving the softest smile to the blond, Shirabu nodded, and would have denied any claim that he still got embarrassed when Ushijima complimented him. The four all chatted quietly together after that, and this was when Shirabu heard the news: Ushijima was no longer playing volleyball, as he'd torn something in his shoulder, making it impossible to play again without causing more permanent damage. He wondered if that's where the stiffness came from, being wrapped up in bandages beneath his clothes. The other thing he found out, through touch alone, was that Semi and Tendou seemed to be a thing. It didn't take much to figure out, since Shirabu knew the cues well from their former relationship. Something about it ached, but in a way, he wondered if it was some sort of trade off being completed. Semi was replaced by Shirabu, then Shirabu was replaced by Semi... in the end, it was some sort of fucked up exchange in his mind, but it still ached no matter how he imagined it.

After chatting, they'd all exchanged numbers, though the only one Shirabu knew he might text would be Ushijima. He was given the head's up from the brunette that he had a place for him to live with him if he needed a place to attend university in Tokyo. With Shirabu's sights set on T University, he knew he would definitely be taking Ushijima up on the offer. Even if something continued to gnaw at him as he watched Semi and Tendou share little chaste touches, ones he remembered receiving when he was the light of Tendou's life. Now he supposed he knew what Semi had felt when he'd been replaced as regular setter.

The rest of the year passed, and Shirabu was accepted into T University as he hoped for. He packed his things and caught a train to Tokyo, moving in with Ushijima. Things seemed to have finally settled down, and when he'd asked Ushijima to keep his talk of Tendou to a minimum, the brunette understood entirely. Especially when Shirabu woke one night from a nightmare only to break down crying and had caused Ushijima to stir and then wake, asking what was wrong. The sweet summer he recalled with pain and warmth was silenced when strong arms wrapped themselves around himself. The feeling of the former ace and captain's hold was enough to rip more tears form him as he sobbed and buried his face against Ushijima's chest.

Within the span of a year, they grew closer, and Shirabu found himself finally moving on from the two year relationship he'd had with Tendou. He wasn't sure if the feelings he'd been growing for Ushijima were ones he'd consider confessing, as he didn't want to ruin the peace he'd managed to find, but if Ushijima decided he wanted to take that step with Shirabu, the blond knew he wouldn't be opposed to the decision. Knowing he was finally able to look at Tendou again without feeling pain or regret was enough for him.


End file.
